Dancer

Yvonne Ng dances in the space between body and soul, where her artistry merges with the roles she inhabits. She gives herself completely to the moment, and takes her responsibility on stage very seriously. ‘When you’re performing, ‘ says Ng, ‘you bring much more to it than just going through the moves. You carry the story. In doing that, you challenge ‘ and then develop ‘ your artistry.’ But you need the audience. ‘What you’re feeling inside matters, and ultimately you want to share that with people, ‘she says. ‘That’s really exciting and very, very special.’

Ng’s remarkable ability to transform herself from one dance role to another, is a mysterious and seemingly contradictory process, in which Ng shelves her own ego while bringing her personality to the role at the same time. The act of giving herself over to the choreographer’s vision ‘happens almost instinctively, ‘she says. It has made Ng so versatile that she is a sought-after artist, and an inspiration to choreographers such as Bill James, Susan McKenzie, Maxine Heppner, José Navas, Kim Frank, Menaka Thakkar, Marie-Josée Chartier, Peter Chin, and Bill Coleman, and companies like Pedestrian Waltz Dance Projects and the Danny Grossman Dance Company.

Recipient of the prestigious 2002 K.M. Hunter Dance Award, 2003 Chalmers Performing Arts Training Award, 2003 Chalmers Arts Fellowship and the 2003 New Pioneers Arts Award, Yvonne Ng’s intensity, grace, and mesmerizing presence have made her an unstoppable force on the Canadian and international dance scene.

She combines the influences of Chinese Opera, Indian cinema, and the Hollywood films of the 1940’s and 50’s, with her contemporary sensibilities to present unique dance experiences that resonate with audiences long after they leave the theatre.

Ng’s talent and dedication have resulted in an international touring repertoire comprised of an ever-growing number of commissions plus her choreography. As a coveted performer, she has interpreted the works of such luminaries as Bill James, Peter Chin, José Navas, Tedd Robinson and the Danny Grossman Dance Company. Ng’s solo work includes the stunning, quicksilver (‘99), which was created for her by Marie-Josée Chartier, and premiered at The Substation in Singapore. In addition, she was honoured with a Dora Mavor Moore Award in 2000 for her memorable performance in the Peter Chin-choreographed ensemble piece, BITE.

Her accomplished choreography most recently includes Batulang, commissioned by Toronto Dance Theatre for Four at the Winch(2004), Collection # 2 ‘ 4 (2004), the trio Cypress (2002), Collection #1: xiao bia chuan(2003), commissioned by the CanAsian Dance Festival, and for the Dusk Dances love duet series, Serpentine Garden: another love story (2003). Ng also choreographed and produced the dance films Into the Dinosaur (‘96), and Man from Glad (‘92), which premiered at the Moving Pictures Festival of Dance on Film and Video, in Toronto. Both films have been showcased in Canada and abroad.

An honours graduate of the York University Dance Program, she also trains extensively in voice, acting, Pilate’s technique, and Yoga and traveled to Beijing, China in 1996 to study Chinese traditional and minority dance.

princess productions is the vision of Yvonne Ng, a new Canadian who immigrated as a young Chinese adult. While she became Canadian, Canada began embracing all ‘things’ Asian and the result was a unique artistic voice. Established on the belief that a dance artist can work primarily as a performer and drive her own career, princess productions has evolved into a multi-faceted organization that supports founder Yvonne Ng’s wide range of artistic activity and employs a range of artists and technicians to produce and present choreography through two unique divisions: tiger princess dance projects, a contemporary dance company directed by Ng and the annual dance: made in canada/fait au canada festival curated by Ng.

Ng is also an active member of the dance community, and has served on the board of directors for the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists, and Dance Umbrella of Ontario as well as the Advisory Committee for Toronto Arts for Youth association (Way to Go). Ng is one of the co-artistic direcotors for Seires 8:08.